Queen Mary’s Grammar School was founded in 1554 by Mary Tudor. We have been shaped by our past and are proud of our traditions, but we are also confident of an exciting future as, under the auspices of The Mercian Trust, of which we are a Founder Academy, we help to shape a new educational landscape.
Queen Mary’s is an academically selective school. It is our aim to support pupils to achieve their full academic potential. We value the life of the mind and want to pass on a love of learning.
Outside the classroom, we offer a range of life-enriching opportunities: time at our Field Centre in Wales; membership of our thriving Combined Cadet Force; individual and team sports; foreign exchanges and travel; participation in music, drama and many other activities. We believe that achievement and enjoyment go hand in hand.
We equip our pupils to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Most choose to go on to Higher Education. Through partnership between School, pupil and parents, we aim for the examination success that will open doors to the very best HE institutions and international employers. We were rated as ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED and it is our mission to attain excellence in all that we do.
Our House system celebrates the four pillars of school life at Queen Mary’s: an academic focus, an international ethos, an enterprising spirit and a sense of community. We enjoy our social, cultural and ethnic diversity and recognise our many privileges. We are keen to share what we have – experience, expertise, enthusiasm – both with those who live on our doorstep and those from further afield.
To do so is very much in the spirit of our motto quas dederis solas semper habebis opes: it is what you give that you will keep as eternal riches.
Richard Langton took over as the Head of School at QMGS in November 2016, allowing Tim Swain the time and space to set up (in his role as CEO designate) the Mercian Trust. Richard was previously the sole deputy (2015-16) and curriculum deputy (2011-15) at the school.
As Head of School, Richard has been a passionate advocate of mental health provision, as well as overseeing the curriculum re-structuring demanded by national changes at GCSE and A-level. He has worked on the curriculum group of the Mercian Trust in order to facilitate the delivery of post 16 subjects across the schools. Since 2014, Richard has been a member of the national council of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), sitting on the curriculum, qualifications, professional and research committees.
In his deputy head role, Richard developed a learning community at QMGS, through a commitment to a developmental observation approach and by building a coaching culture. He also held strategic responsibility for the curriculum, timetable, data and assessment.
Richard joined QMGS from Lawrence Sheriff School, where he had taught since 2000. He held the posts of Head of Geography (2006-2011) and Head of Year (2001-2011), as well as managing expeditions in the school (leading World Challenge trips to India, Chile and Tanzania). Richard became a chartered geographer and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 2007 and has worked with the Red Cross and other developmental charities in fundraising initiatives. He coached cricket and football teams at Lawrence Sheriff and he maintains these sporting interests, whilst also being a keen hillwalker, cyclist and runner.
Richard read Geography at the University of Birmingham, graduating with a BA (Hons) in 1999. He gained his PGCE from the University of Birmingham in 2000 and completed his part-time, distance learning MA in Geography Education (through the IOE at UCL) in 2005. He is currently completing his NPQH.
Richard lives locally in Walsall with his wife and two children and is very dedicated to his role in leading QMGS, but also in improving the provision of education locally.
